The English Football League have approved Forest Green Rovers’ move to a the world’s first entirely wooden stadium in Eco Park.

Approval means another step toward completing a project which has been fraught with political controversy.

The League Two club's first bid for the new 5,000 seat stadium, named the innocent New Lawn, was voted down by Stroud District Council with a majority of three in June 2019.

They launched a second bid in December the same year which for was approved by six votes to four.

Following the vote, Stroud's MP Siobhan Baillie backed an application by Eastington Parish Council for the plan to be called-in, meaning it would be assessed by an inspector on behalf of the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government.

The request was not granted, with club chairman Dale Vince deeming it a “waste of three months.”

Writing on Facebook today, Dale Vince said: “The EFL have approved the move to the new home for Forest Green Rovers, next to Junction 13 of the M5.

“Fab news today and another small but big step for Eco Park.”